Getting Bolder in the House!

February 8, 2016

Today’s Monday Action:Call State House Speaker Robert DeLeo and Representative Thomas Golden to tell them supporting solar energy means eliminating the net metering cap, ensuring power sold back to the grid is fairly compensated, and making sure there is no mandatory fee for producing solar energy. Then ask your Massachusetts House Representative to be bolder than ever before.

Dear Representative Story,
I am urgently concerned about climate change.This is the defining issue on which future generations will judge us. Therefore I urge you to be bold in fighting for real solutions to stop climate change. We look to you for your leadership on keeping the solar industry growing in the Commonwealth.
The growth of solar electricity in Massachusetts is threatened by H.3854, which would:

Slap a new mandatory minimum charge on solar

Raise the net metering cap only 2% (reached by summer 2016)

Slash net metering reimbursement by 75% for sizeable projects (such as municipal and community shared solar).

A fair price on carbon would make solar and other renewables even more financially viable. It’s time to break free of fossil fuels. Renewables are ready and while we bring them in, we can use other short term solutions like demand management, which the Supreme Court has given the green light to FERC to promote.

Thank you Representative Story for so many excellent years of service. We wish you all the best in your upcoming retirement and hope that your successor will do you proud, especially where climate is concerned.

__________________Still here? Are you looking for an in-person action?Take your family on an outing to Greenfield andprotest the Berkshire Gas imposed moratoriumMonday, February 15th. We’re joining other groups in a walk and picket.

Preparing and presenting a skit, and enjoying a donated lunch from 12 – 2 at First Congregational Church, 43 Silver Street
You can also join the walk starting at 10 from GCC that will arrive at the BG office at about 11:30.
Please RSVP to Hattie Nestel at 978.790.3074or email hattieshalom@verizon.net. For further information, go to www.hattienestel.com.

Gohereto read more background from Climate Action Now on solar legislation in MA.

Visit our Mothers Out Front webpage for details about other ways to join us in person and online.
In collaboration,
Your Community Organizing Team
Mothers Out Front – Pioneer Valley

One thought on “Getting Bolder in the House!”

When it comes to energy and the electric grid we cannot treat them like luxury items. I disagree with what’s on the Table, and hope these explanations enable better under-standing of why. As we are currently configured a Carbon Tax will affect the entire Food and Goods, manufacture and supply, costs. This will make the common man poorer and the elite will skim even more from the bottom of the barrel (Hopefully Mid way?). It will make America less competitive in the short term. The issues with Green Solutions is that they are nothing more than a marketing term. Overall environmental impact is terrible. Solar powered house is one thing. Solar power using the Grid isn’t and the Grid is only a small part of the overall issues with dwindling resources and 9 billion people. Electric Grid costs so much to power up; brief lull in winter when the sun is out doesn’t reduce that cost very much. Industrial shore windmills require miles of buffer area. Off shore windmills , so far, fail too soon to get any kind of payback no matter how the numbers are presented. 10 mega watt solar farm is a fraction of the power from a 10 mega watt Nuclear plant. Nuclear Plant runs all the time and has a smaller overall environmental impact. In Both cases the human participation and their carbon use (8 calories of Fossil Fuel and Fossil water go into every calorie we eat)have to be addressed. Water based fuel (Demands a Lot of free Power; starts to help offset that number…) and infrastructure. This demands investment above and beyond what was invested in the NEW DEAL. This New Economy is a House of cards. John Boothroyd Amherst Mass. PS. Rebecca you still work for Ellen.